Since the end of the Jim Crow era, politicians have dressed racism in the rhetoric of food stamps and illegal aliens. But as the past 10 years have shown, it seems that politicians need no such disguise for Islamophobia.

At a time when many educational institutions have succumbed to mildewing political correctness and cower in the face of pressure to censor controversial speech, at least one school still maintains free and open debate on campus. That school isÂ George Mason University School of Law. We applaud the school and its dean for their unequivocal and brave stance.

I had no knowledge of the event at all. I did not seek its cancellation or threaten to disrupt it. If I had known about the Hizb ut-Tahrir speaker, I would have protested peacefully against him (as I have done in the past). I have a long history of non-violent direct action. I have never in my 45 years of human rights campaigning committed any violent acts, even when violently assaulted myself. The idea that I had threatened violence is absurd.
In May 1994, at their Wembly conference, I was subjected to death threats from members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. They explicitly threatened to track me down and kill me.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a clerical fascist organisation. According to its draft constitution and spokespeople’s statements it believes in:

The replacement of secular democracy with Sharia based theocratic rule.

The subjugation and inferiority of women and their debarring from holding ruling positions

The superiority of Muslims over non-Muslims, and the denial of full rights and citizenship to the latter.

The banning of non-Islamist political parties.

The death penalty for Muslims who leave their religion.

The death penalty for those guilty of blasphemy against Islam.

The death penalty for gay people and women who have sex outside of marriage.

In short, Hizb ut-Tahrir is a far right organisation that seeks to impose a theocratic dictatorship worldwide. It is more fascistic than even the vile BNP.

It should be opposed at every opportunity. The rights and freedoms of ordinary Muslims should be defended against these fanatics who are, first and foremost, a threat to fellow Muslims.

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One thought on “Islam in our schools”

The Muslim Council of Britain released a set of demands on Wednesday, hoping to ban what it calls “un-Islamic” activities in Britain’s public schools. Playground games, school plays and assemblies, swimming lessons, field trips and even vaccinations.

Professor Tim Brighthouse, the chief advisor to London schools, was set to attend the MCB presentation, a sign some see as “deeply worrying,” as it may fuel fears that the demands are made with government approval.

“The presence of Tim Brighouse implies Government backing of this report,” says Tory MP Greg Hands. “This is very worrying.” Adds Terry Sanderson, from the National Secular Society, the report is a “recipe for disaster.”

“The MCB shouldn’t try to force its religious agenda on children who may not want it,” he continued. “The Government needs to send the MCB packing. Schools should be about teaching, not preaching.”

Riling opponents even further is the fact that the report, titled “Towards Greater Understanding – Meeting the Needs of Muslim Pupils in State Schools,” demands that schools should ban all pupils, not just Muslim students, from what the report deems “un-Islamic activies.” Activities which would be included in the ban are dance classes, co-ed swimming, co-ed school trips and art classes which include the drawing of human figures.

Ramadan – the Muslim holy month – is given even greater treatment. Swimming, should it be allowed in general, would not be allowed under the demands of the new report. This is explained under the premise that eating and drinking, which are not allowed during daylight hours, could be hard to police, should a student accidentally swallow water from the pool.

One other part of the report sure to cause outrage from concerned parents and administrators is the demand that, while non-Muslim children should learn about Islam, students from Muslim families should have the right to withdraw from any lessons dealing with Christianity of other faiths. The Muslim Council of Britain says this special treatment is necessary to avoid Muslim children from feeling left out of school lessons and activities.

The MCB, which claims to be the mouthpiece of Britain’s 1.5 million Muslims, does not appear to be speaking for everyone. Dr. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain claims that “There has been no discussion of these issues,” and the Sufi Muslim Council (which claims more members than does the MCB), says the report misinterprets Ramadan. “This is not what Islam or Ramadan is about,” their statement proclaims.